Yuuji Nakamura hadn't expected his Friday night to end like this.
One second, he was rage-quitting Arcane Academy Online after his ninth failed attempt at the "Tutor the Villainess" side quest. And then, he was standing in the middle of an actual enchanted classroom… surrounded by flying textbooks, floating chalk, and a giant magical contract hovering in front of his face like a smug hologram.
WELCOME, PLAYER YUUJI.
You have been assigned the role of: "Villainess's Academic Support."
Main Objective: Graduate Elira Vortemer with passing marks.
Penalty for Failure: Permanent Residency.
Good luck! :D
Yuuji blinked.
"…Excuse me?"
He squinted at the tiny, glowing text at the bottom.
'Terms and conditions include but are not limited to: emotional trauma, magical combustion, cursed lunch breaks, and/or romantic subplots.'
"Is this a joke? Am I being pranked by the devs? Where's the logout button?!"
Suddenly, the classroom door creaked open.
In walked the girl whose face had haunted every loading screen: Elira Vortemer, the villainess of Arcane Academy Online. Long platinum-blonde hair, eyes like frozen sapphire, and the expression of someone who permanently smelled something mildly disappointing.
Her black uniform was perfectly pressed. Her heels clicked with the kind of authority usually reserved for nobles, generals, or the Queen of Ice.
She stopped, looked Yuuji up and down, and sighed.
"So," she said coolly, "you're the new one."
"I—what? Me? New what?" Yuuji stammered. "I'm not even supposed to be here—I was just playing the game and then—!"
"Figures," she muttered. "They sent another idiot."
Yuuji felt personally attacked.
"Hey, I'll have you know I passed pre-calculus twice!"
Elira arched a brow, unimpressed.
"This academy doesn't tolerate incompetence," she said, turning toward the desk. "If you're going to waste my time, you can leave now. Or explode. Most tutors explode."
Yuuji stared. "Wait, what?"
"Boom," she added helpfully. "Magic recoil. Happens often when you try teaching above your station."
There was a long pause. Somewhere in the room, a chalkboard spontaneously combusted. Yuuji backed away slowly.
"Okay, cool cool cool. So, quick question. Hypothetically. If I don't tutor you and just… drop out, what happens?"
Another glowing message pinged above his head.
FAILURE TO FULFILL CONTRACT WILL RESULT IN MAGICAL CONTAINMENT AND/OR CONVERSION INTO AN EDUCATIONAL SPIRIT.
Yuuji read it twice.
"…I don't want to be an educational spirit."
"Then sit," Elira said, and for the briefest second, Yuuji thought he saw something in her eyes—boredom, maybe? Or loneliness?
He sat.
"Right," he muttered, opening the spellbook in front of him. "Let's begin with Lesson One: How Not to Die."